Alkyl phenols have a broad range of medicinal properties ranging from central nervous system (CNS) effects to antioxidant activities. The effects of alkyl phenols on the CNS are generally sedative in nature. For example, the dialkylphenol, propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol) is used as an anesthetic agent in both humans and animals. This compound also serves as a muscle relaxant, anti-epileptic, anti-emetic, anti-spasmotic and as a bronchodilator.
Diisopropylphenol also has uses in the treatment of pathologies relating to the presence of free oxygen radicals (see, see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,874; U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,080; and Aarts et al., 1995, FEBS Let. 357(1): 83-5). For example, propofol has been used to inhibit inflammatory responses of the upper respiratory tract due to oxidative stress (see, e.g., Zaloga et al., The Internet Journal of Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine ISSN 1092-4051; Borgeat et al., 1992, American J. of Gastroent. 87(5): 672-674). Propofol also has been shown to repair neural damage caused by free oxygen radicals in vitro (Sagara et al., 1999, J. Neurochem. 73(6): 2524-30; Jevtovic-Todorovic et al., 2001, Brain Res. 913(2): 185-9) and has been used in vivo to treat head injury (see, e.g., Kelly et al., Journal of Neurosurgery 90: 1042-1052, 1999
Although propofol is considered to be relatively safe, side effects have been reported, including dose-dependent hypotension, hypertriglyceridemia and pancreatitis. In addition, high doses of propofol can result in “propofol syndrome”, a serious condition characterized by severe metabolic acidosis and circulatory collapse.